The Cooper Hawks of Manor Park. Photo by Vernice Northrup.

A few months ago we noticed we had no song birds feeding from our birdfeeder outside our picture window. After finding dead sparrows and chipmunks in our driveway, we discovered that some Cooper's Hawks had decided to nest in our backyard. On 4th of July weekend, we saw more of them nesting in our neighbors' tree in their front yard. So far we have seen at least 4 of these large (around 14 inches high with a wingspan of approximately 2.5 feet) predatory birds! We were told that they don’t cause much of a threat, though they do eat chipmunks, squirrels, robins, jays, and an assortment of other small animals, and will mostly likely relocate after awhile.

So, anyone driving down Manor Park may happen to see hawks in the air (and perhaps a few rabbits or an occasional deer in the lawns, as those have also been spotted in the area). Perhaps the additional wildlife will encourage drivers to take it a bit slower on the road!

Sincerely,
The Northrups